Marion Harbormaster Project Receives BRICC Award
Our work on the Marion Harbormaster project received a BRICC Award at the Building & Remodeling Industry of Cape Cod’s annual gala. We were responsible for the structural and civil engineering design, and celebrated along with teaming partners from Catalyst Architecture.
The Marion Harbormaster building is a coastal civic facility designed to set a new standard in structural resilience, public service, and environmental stewardship. Located directly on Marion Harbor, the building sits within a High Hazard FEMA Flood Zone VE, where the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) is 19 feet. To satisfy FEMA and building code requirements, the Design Flood Elevation (DFE)—the minimum elevation for the lowest horizontal structural member—was established at 21 feet. The design team exceeded this benchmark, elevating the finished floor to 23.5 feet and bringing the bottom of structure above 21 feet, offering added protection against storm surge and sea level rise.
The building’s adaptive design, robust structural system, and forward-thinking resilience measures support long-term functionality in the face of increasingly frequent extreme weather events. It provides not only a critical public safety facility and administrative resource but also a testament to the role of structural engineering in safeguarding communities and infrastructure.